Influence of thyroxine supplementation on orthodontically induced tooth movement and/or inflammatory root resorption: A systematic review

Abstract The role of thyroxine administration on orthodontically induced tooth movement and/or inflammatory root resorption remains unclear. The aim was to assess the influence of thyroxine administration on orthodontically induced tooth movement and/or inflammatory root resorption. The study protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42020164151). An electronic search of indexed databases was conducted without time or language restrictions up to and including May 2020. The following eligibility criteria were imposed: (a) original prospective controlled clinical studies and/or experimental studies on animal models; (b) subjects undergoing orthodontic therapy with fixed appliances; (c) presence of a control group [orthodontic tooth movement without thyroxine administration]; and (d) intervention: orthodontic tooth movement with thyroxine administration. Review articles, commentaries, letters to the editor, case reports/series, studies with no control group, cross‐sectional studies, retrospective studies and studies where thyroxine was administered along with other interventions such as calcitonin and prostaglandins were excluded. Quality of available evidence and risk of bias within studies were assessed. Any disagreements were resolved via consensus discussions. Based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines, 8 animal studies were included. Four studies reported that thyroxine administration increases the rate of orthodontic tooth movement; 3 studies did not show a significant difference. Three studies showed that thyroxine administration decreases orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption; 2 studies found no significant difference. The risk of bias among studies was high. In conclusion, the influence of thyroxine administration on orthodontic tooth movement and/or orthodontically induced inflammatory root resorption in animal models remains unclear.